1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a computer program product, and a preview image displaying method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, image forming apparatuses have been widespread in use. Examples of such image forming apparatuses include scanners that scan original images, copiers that print the original images scanned by the scanners, printers and facsimile machines that print image data input from the outside, and multifunction products (MFPs) that have any or all of functions of these.
Such image forming apparatuses provide various functions, and allow a user to specify various settings as to the functions. The settings includes those concerning image processing such as a margin size, and those concerning finishing such as stamping, stapling, and punching.
However, in the conventional image forming apparatuses, when a user sets a finishing function for printing an image, the user cannot check the image in finished state until a print result is output. For example, even if punch holes overlap an image in finished state, it is not until the image is actually printed that the user notices this, which results in a waste of sheets.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-67347 discloses a conventional image forming apparatus that can display, prior to printing, a preview image of a finished result obtained by applying image processing with various functions to a pre-scanned original image to allow a user to change print settings when necessary.
However, to receive function settings specified by a user through preview display and print an image after the user checks preview of the image displayed based on the specified settings, the conventional image forming apparatus needs to pre-scan an original to obtain image data prior to printing.
Specifically, when the user desires to use only content-independent functions as to, for example, output color, output density, sheet, enlarge/reduce, simplex/duplex, combination, sort/stack, and background, function settings can be specified without pre-scanning of an original to obtain image data. However, the conventional image forming apparatus is required to scan an original before function settings are specified.